The Decision of Two Girls
by edward-is-my-life.fran
Summary: Percy Jackson returns in his most difficult adventure yet, even if he's dealing with problems possibly less terrifying than monsters... Percybeth and Perchal-Rachel


Annabeth was in trouble- it was clear from her features. Her dark blue sapphires swam with moisture, her forehead was crinkled and her eyebrows pulled together. She let a small, uncontrolled yelp squeeze between her pursed lips. But I didn't cry this time; -because I knew what to do.

"Percy!" Rachel squealed. I groaned inwardly. Ever since she dumped me (in theory) I hadn't approved of her. In a way I'd felt used by the way she had left me as soon as she got what she wanted. And now, of course, I'd be seeing a lot more of her here at camp.

She hugged me as if she had missed me from day one. I couldn't help but feel the loathing burn in my insides. I could almost say I hated this 'woman'. And she's hardly a woman really; she's just turned sixteen and acts more like a 13 year old; immature and uncontrolled. Oh, and she really believes she can just drop right back into my 'best-friends' book like rain from the sky, after she's really pissed me off.

"Hey...Rach," I said, violently trying to remove her from my body...she didn't seem to notice my goal. She wouldn't budge. I gave in soon enough, and wrapped my arms around her neck, in what I guess you could say, a loose embrace.

In the distance I could see the drakon practice, and the sword fighting. But I was concentrating so hard on trying to figure out who was fighting (Clarisse immediately visible) - that I wasn't concentrating on what was going on in the fore-ground. And I was startled when a blonde haired girl swam into view, her curly locks blowing around wildly in the small gale; Annabeth. I completely dropped away from Rachel and walked towards Annabeth. She glared, in what I thought was an attempt at being seductive (which was working perfectly) but turned out to be either slight anger or pure hatred, as I would soon find out.

I held my hands out as I got nearer to her.

"Get away from me," she said. Her clipped tone and body stance shocked me. She sharply wisped her hand to her hip.

"Wha-"I began.

"You heard what I said Percy Jackson, now you get away from me," she paused, gathering her voice again. "You..." she sucked in a harsh breath, "You led me on Percy,"

I squinted, thinking. Could she really think I liked Elizabeth _Dare-_Really?

"And Percy..." she trailed off, her eyes wandering all around the shop, avoiding eye contact with me or Rachel, "After all those things you said at Mount Olympus- after you told even the _gods _about your future, and how I thought you turned the offer down for me, because of _me_!"

By this time she was crying. Full tears were streaming softy and delicately down her face. To see her like this killed me, but I knew Annabeth better than that. I knew _women_ better than that. They have to let it out of their systems and in the morning, after a good night's sleep, they have a clearer head, and they'll be their usual self's.

"So Percy, next time you want to go round the town, warn me before hand."

"Annie?" I began.

"You pig headed, seaweed filled, salt watered, two faced mongrel," Annabeth added on the end, staring me right in the face.

The words hurt. "Have you been induced by Shangigi?" I asked, before I could stop myself. Shangigi was a Chinese 'myth' about a being that could control your every move; a bit like a robot or remote control car .He was an evil spirit that used people for hurt.  
Not that I really _did _believe that Annabeth was being controlled by Shangigi for a start, it was just that typical line that I would say that would piss her off and ruin her good moods. And she was formerly in a bad one, which, in a nutshell= not good.

Annabeth's face contorted a lion a millisecond away from killing its prey. She grabbed my shoulders and tossed me to the floor.

She reached for my leather shoulder pad and tugged on it, whilst kicking me in the stomach. I was finally thinking clearly and opted to defend, because I _knew_ I was stronger than her (or I would like to _believe_ I was). We were rolling, and balling and fisting and cussing and then, I stared at her face. She started at me. For a second the universe stopped. And then we slowed, tumbling down a hill of some sort, clinging to each other's arms for support. When we finally stopped she was on my chest, and we shared another, equally beautiful moment just staring at each other, as we had the second we won the Battle of Olympus. My finger reached up and traced her cheek, smiling goofily at her. She smiled back, and slowly sank her head down and eased into a gentle chaste kiss. I smiled into her lips, savouring the moments. She smiled back, and traced the tip of my upper lip with her tongue. I froze. Tenderly, I pushed her off me. She stared at me, a sheet of mixed emotions on her face. I merely bit my bottom lip, and she nodded in realisation. I didn't want to take things too far. Our relationship had gotten complicated enough when I had nursed her back to health with ambrosia, a few hours after she had taken a poisoned dagger that had saved my life. But now... now, we were both unsure of what we wanted. I wanted _her_. I wanted Annie with all my heart, and those painful years of indignant worrying and complicated mixed emotions, emotions of wanting and not getting, fear of rejection. And now I knew we had both felt the same way all along. And it was great, great that we were on the same boat.

But then there were all those other years, previous to hormones and crap like that. And that was friendship. And friendship and love were two very powerful, polar opposites. Friendship was great, bringing a shoulder to cry on, someone you can rely to be there _all _the time. And love... love bought all these new, exciting things into a well founded relationship, but took away some of the best parts of a friendship... after all; you can't make a cake without breaking a few eggs. And the thought of losing all Annabeth and I already had made me sad...very sad.

"Percy..."

I glanced to my right, as did Annabeth.

And Rachel Dare was glaring at me, her fiery features coming alive.

Rachel POV

Percy was _hugging _me. He was actually _hugging_ me. He hadn't done that for a year, ever since I made that mistake of creating a new pictured world. I had reached the point in your life when you wanted to start again. Start over. And I had literally dumped him, after telling him the last time we spoke that I wanted to kiss him. I think I am in love with Percy. He's so handsome and strong, and cares for my feelings- I can't believe I messed his up...

"Hey...Rach," he said, clinging tighter to me now. And then his touch was loose again, his hands clasped around my neck. I sucked his scent in my nose, and closed my eyes. I had heard her before I saw her. I turned my head just as Percy dropped away from me. I immediately saw Annabeth. Her golden locks were sharply blown to the right, her tangled ringlets beautifully trailing down her body. I scowled at her in jealousy, fingering the slight loose ends of my mid-length ginger hair in distaste. It was so unfair that she- as were all the other campers' here- was an offspring of the god's...and to have _Athena_ as her mother; the second most beautiful of all the goddesses on Olympus. He walked over to Annabeth, who glared at him in hatred. Ha! I thought. I had won. Percy Jackson would love her no more.

The two rowed, and although I was only seconds away from them, I couldn't be bothered to listen. I planned our wedding day instead. The invitations would be purple and white, with a lilac ribbon across the front for an art deco approach. The men would all wear white or cream suits, with a red rose broached on them. My bride's maids (Claire and Elisa) would have a purple diagonal cut dress, and their hair would be piled on their heads in two neat buns. My dress- oh, my dress, would be white of course (what girl didn't dream of a white wedding), with a sachet of purple and lilac ribbon across the waist. The dress would be strapless, and the front would have silver gems and beads incorporated onto it. The train would be long and white and silk, a contrast to the decorated front, and my two little cousins would carry it out behind me as I walked down the aisle to marry Percy... ahh, and the flowers-so rich and colourful, the vivid reds and purples-

"Percy!" Annabeth giggled their voices fainter than before. I stood up without delay and ran to the edge of Hero's Hill. I peered gingerly over the verge and glimpsed down.

My heart froze. My mind numbed. My legs clogged. My lungs congested. My arms fell.

How could Percy ruin this... when I had just offered myself up to him again? Unhappily, I looked down once again to see them kissing, still, more passionately than before. Anger swelled inside me, balling up. A thousand pieces of glass pierced my insides. I ran down the hill in a rage and stood before them both. Percy shook his head at Annabeth.

"Percy..." I said, slowly. They looked at me.

The timer had started, the bomb was ticking. There was only a matter of time now...


End file.
